Huge hedgerow to link South Downs and New Forest National Parks

Huge hedgerow to link South Downs and New Forest National Parks

May 4, 2023

An ambitious project has been launched to connect Hampshire’s two National Parks, the South Downs and New Forest, with a ‘nature corridor’ of hedgerow.

Hedgerows play an enormously important role in boosting biodiversity, capturing carbon, improving food production and enhancing the rural community.

The countryside has lost over half of all hedgerows since 1945 and CPRE Hampshire believe it’s time to turn this around.

The Hampshire Hedge will wind its way through the county and link woodlands, meadows, local nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). It will start from Copythorne in the New Forest and finish at Compton, near Winchester.

Ellie Banks, Hedgerow Officer at CPRE Hampshire, explains: “The Hampshire Hedge offers communities a great opportunity to work together to restore and plant hedges in their local areas. We provide training on the traditional crafts of hedgelaying and offer some great resources to help communities learn surveying and hedgerow management to achieve the full benefits of their rich offerings.”

Andrew Lee, Director of Countryside Policy and Management for the National Park, said: “Whilst outside the National Park boundary, our Western Ranger Team will keep in close touch as the project develops and the idea fits beautifully with our People & Nature Network that was published in 2020.”

The strategy aims to create a network of green infrastructure across the region to help, recognising that ecosystems do not follow administrative boundaries. Green infrastructure includes parks, gardens, rivers and streams, roadside verges, street trees, hedgerows, churchyards, allotments and nature reserves as well as wider green spaces.